Stationxindicator



llNiTED STATES PATENT urine.

W'ALTER J. PETTINGELL, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

STATION-INDICATOR.

E3PECIL-ICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 319.505, dated June9, 1885.

Application filed January 17, 1888. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:-

Be it known that I, WALTER J. PETTIN- GELL, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inStation-Indicators; and I do hereby declare that the same are fullydescribed in the following specification,and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings.

The object of this invention is to provide as a permanent fixture to theoutside of cars, for the information and convenience of travelers, atrain-directory denoting the various stopping-points in their order.This device, secured to the side of the car, is opened to expose thenames of the stations before the train starts, and at eachstopping-place the names of stations not yet reached are exposed and thenames of those reached and passed. are concealed.

My invention consists in a frame secured to the side of a car andinclosing a plate or series of plates on which the names of the severalstations at which the train will stop are inscribed in their order, incombination with an adjustable shield adapted to be moved in grooves, soas to expose all or part of such names, or to conceal them all.

My invention also consists in the devices and combinations of devicesset forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a view in perspective showing my apparatusas applied to a car. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of the same.

A is a frame, of any suitable form, fixed permanently to the outside ofa car, and having an open front.

B is a movable shield fitted to run in grooves O in the frame, so thatit may be adjusted to various positions. It is provided with aconvenient locking device to secure it as desired.

E E represent placards or plates, of any suitable material, on which areseverally inscribed the names of the various or the most prominentstations where the train or the particular car will stop. Thesestation-plates,

hung one above another, are of uniform size and made interchangeable, sothat they may be placed in reverse order for the return trip orchanged-from time to time to indicate other stops, since the car may runalternately on a branch road or the main line, or be one trip in anexpress and the next in an accommodation train. The plates E E aresupported in any convenient way, so as to present the names of thestations in their order. They may be mounted on spring'pins or hooks F,inserted in the back G, each of sufficient length to receive severalcards, one in front of another; or they may rest edgewise on ledges 0rshelves F, one above another, with means of holding the plates againstdisplacement. Two or more names may appear ona single plate. Additionalplates may be carried in pockets above and below the front opening inthe frame. Vhere a car is used regularly on a given train, making thesame stops on each round trip, two placards will be sufficient for allthe names, one having them arranged in the order of the stops on theoutward trip, and the other in the reverse order. The shield B may be asingle inflexible piece running in straight grooves, or a flexible or joint ed sheet in curved grooves, and so arranged as to be movedvertically to expose all the names or to conceal one after another asthe stations are passed. This latter arrangement is shown in thedrawings, the shield being worked by the knob D, and held by friction orlocked at the desired points by the bolts D. If preferred, slidingindependent shields, inserted sidewise, may be substituted and employedto cover any or all of the names, as

occasion requires.

The shield may be worked from within the car, as the train approachesthe station, by means of a knob, H, connecting with it at a pointconvenient for the brakeman, and a gage, I, may denote the number ofplates exposed. (See Fig. 2.)

I claim as my invention 1. As a permanent attachment to the exterior ofa railroad-car, and in combination therewith, a suitable frame, inclosedstationplate or series of station-plates having the names of the severalstopping-places arranged movable shield for successively covering said10 in the order in which they will be reached, plates, and means foroperating the shield together with a movable shield adapted to be fromwithin the car, substantially as set forth.

successively closed'over the front of said plates In testimony whereof Ihereto affix my sigas the train proceeds, all substantially as de naturein presence of two witnesses.

scribed. WALTER J. PETTINGELL.

2. In a station-indicator attached to the ex- \Vitnesses:

terior of a car, as described, the combination E. A. PHELPs,

of the indicator-case, inoloscd station-plates, A. H. SPENCER.

